I've tried these pills for two weeks only. I have a family history of heart problems, and they got me so jittery and sped up that I had to stop. They worked though! I lost 5 pounds!

I use them once in a while when I'm on vacation or away from home, or just in a situation where I know I won't be able to eat well. . . not regularly. I know they don't help, but it's just a comfort thing, I guess.

You have a right to be suspicious - 99% of the 'diet pills' out there have exactly the same active ingredients - what is known as an ECA (Ephedra/Caffeine/Asprin) stack. They sell for prices from $15 a bottle (the generic brands) to over $100 (brand names such as Anorex and some MLM stuff). It's ALL the same thing.

I know the ads can be enticing for some of these products...I read a lot of muscle/fitness mags and have seen the '6-Page Special Reports' showing these unbelievable transformations, with credit (too much credit IMO) given to the product...

I posted the following back in May but it bears repeating here:

Quote:

We've all been hooked in my sensational before and after pictures in supplement ads...the question that was posed was whether or not these pictures are phony and doctored. Certainly, with today's computer graphics technology, doctoring photos would be a snap for someone with just basic PC skills, but it's not really necessary. There are enough sneaky tricks to employ without even having to resort to messing with the picture.

First of all, notice the things that almost all of the before pictures have in common. Nobody has a tan. The men all have their body hair. Everyone is slouching and looking glum. They might even have a big baggy pair of shorts on that makes their waist look even wider. Yes, life really sucks sweaty a-- in the 'before' picture.

Now for the magical 'after' photo. White, pasty skin that looked like soft dough is now bronze and tight. The hair has been waxed or shaved off. Muscles are flexed or tensed, and look at that Colgate smile! Now they might even have a tight pair of Lycra shorts or posing trunks on to show off their slimmed down waist and hips. What has actually happened to their bodies in this time span? In many cases...all they did was lose fat. They may give credit to some super product, but the truth is that anyone can lose a huge amount of bodyfat just by dieting right and doing cardio.

If they actually added a lot of muscle too, one of three things is happening. Either they're a beginner, they were rebuilding previously existing muscle mass after a layoff, or they were jacked up on some good anabolics. Sorry to say, but nobondy outside of these three categories puts on '20 pounds of solid muscle in 10 weeks' or any other such ridiculous figure.

The best before and afters to entice the bodybuilding market use bodybuilders. This is because any bodybuilder looks 1,000% better when they diet down to contest condition from their off-season weight....Then you could even get into lighting issues, which are more significant than most people realize. The before picture might be taken with a flash or under 'flat' lighting conditions. If the person had any cuts or muscle separations, you wouldn't see them. The after picture is often taken by a professional photographer who knows how to sculpt light with key, fill, and back lighting to make all the details in a physique pop out. Every little vein and straition can now be seen.

So are these before and after pictures "real"? They are indeed, but as I have tried to show you, the perception of reality can be dramatically altered to fit various goals.

Just remember - if these pills DO work, you still need to get your nutrition and exercise in order - otherwise you're REALLY wasting your money...of course if you eat right and exercise, you won't NEED these pills, right? (save the money for new clothes instead!)